Sarasota Arrival

Here it is, past my bedtime, and I have an epiphany. I am sitting alone in my hotel room in Sarasota, counting down the hours for the half-marathon tomorrow morning.

I think, to myself (no one else to think at), why not try something completely new in my blog and actually write a daily accounting of my activities. After all, it is completely different from anything I have ever done in this blog. Different is good. Different is intriguing.

My day started with my obnoxious alarm at 5:30 a.m. As usual, I hit the snooze button twice and didn't end up getting out of bed until close to 6. Thank goodness I had packed and showered last night, or I would have left late and then had to possibly pull an OJ Simpson at the airport. Not a great idea in these times of overly excessive security scan procedures.

As I scurried about the house in the breaking light of morning, trying to remember those last minutes things that I had promised myself I would not forget in the morning, I was actually proud of myself when I looked at the kitchen clock and it read 6:25. My goal was 6:30 to be out the door; however, I did have to make my traditional return to the house to retrieve my sunglasses. Can't go to Florida on what is forecast as a beautiful God-made weekend without sunglasses. Unfortunately, this does not account for the fact that I forgot my bikini, razor, flipflops, and brush.

At the airport, the parking garage was suprisingly empty. I thought for sure, as I sped down the Toll Road gulping my grande triple latte, that I would be driving around endlessly looking for a tiny spot to squeeze my big ass truck into. But, spots were aplenty. So, this time, someone would have to squeeze his car next to my big ass truck for a change.

Going through security, I noticed one of those full body scanners. Uuugggh! I haven't flown out of this airport for quite some time, so the thoughts of what I would say to try to get out of it flooded through my head. I decline to do it on principle alone, unlike many people who probably have a problem giving a free show to the person analyzing it. That part I could really care less about. They need thrills too! Bottom line, I didn't have to go through it.

I saw a kind act by the TSA authorities that I had never dreamed possible. They actually let 2 uniformed military personnel skip to the front of the line. I thought that was respectable of them even though it probably can happen only in Houston. Despite rumors to the contrary, we are quite nice down here. Can't imagine something like this happening in places like NY or Chicago.

I walked a lonely, deserted section of the airport from security to my gate in Terminal A. I have NEVER been alone in an airport; it was quite freaky, almost reminiscent of a Twilight Zone episode. For a moment I thought I had taken a wrong turn and had to suppress the desire to turn around and go back. Not one person in sight or sound for roughly 3 minutes of walking. Nice!

The rest of my flight was uneventful until the Atlanta-Sarasota leg. It is only a little over an hour flight so one would think one could get away with a restful time, maybe a cat nap. But, alas, not with the screamer in the seat across the aisle. I have never heard a baby scream so loudly and adamantly, even intelligibly. She sounded like she was being abused. I wondered what her scream would sound like if that had been the case. At first, I thought she was screaming because her ears hurt, until I deciphered the string of syllables in between the excruciatingly loud "owies". She had to go to the bathroom....but the refreshment carts were ploughing the aisle. So, mom and child were held captive. That did not stop this little girl from screaming at the top of her lungs. Mom was not having much of a mollifying effect either. I wondered why the child didn't have on a diaper? That might have solved everything; until about 30 minutes later, after their bathroom trip and upon descent, when she started up again. It was only then I realized it was a control mechanism the child was using. Oh, they learn so young! Had that mother never heard of dosing her kid with Benadryl before a flight? I wanted to lean over and share the secret with her.

Baggage claim was expectedly slow. Of course, my bag was the last to come off the plane, appearing just as I was starting to formulate plans in my head of how I would run a half-mari in new sneakers. Talk about "owie"! That's what I get for changing my baggage checking plans last minute. And I got to pay for the insult as well.

Finding my car was a challenge that was not helped by the inattentive Nigerian who was supposed to be helping lost travellers like myself find their cars. I guess that was my mistake for incorrectly telling him I needed "National", when I really needed "Enterprise". When I corrected myself, he obviously didn't understand, or didn't care because he continued to point me to National. Only the handsome young Italian with the Ferrari sunglasses was able to set me in the right direction. Unfortunately, I tripped over a large tree root while I traversed the parking lot and hoped it wouldn't turn into something more ominous by morning when I had to strap on sneakers.

Once in the car, I was free...open windows, flying hair, loud music, sunshine, and warm breezes. It's not like I can't do the same thing where I live; it is just more poignant to do it with a large body of water drifting off in the visible distance. Marinas and seagulls and the smell of the water. Can't get that in Houston.

After picking up my running packet, I headed to the swim store to see about picking up a bikini to supplant the one I forgot. However, at seeing the exorbitant prices, decided that sports bra and shorts will do just fine. I will pick up a new one at Target when I get back home. Twenty four dollars...better deal.

I proceeded to my hotel, and after checking in headed straight out to the beach for sunset and a glass of wine. Longboat Key is gorgeous and reminds me of so many beach towns I have been to. After a long drive, I reached the Gulf Drive Cafe on some unknown beach in what I think was still Longboat Key. Live music was playing in the tiki area as the tangerine sunset oozed across the horizon.

A perfect end to a quite harrowing day.

And tomorrow, I race.